1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus having a print medium supplying section that can selectively supply different types of print media to a printing apparatus main body, and in particular, to a printing apparatus that can transmit and receive information on printing to and from a predetermined information processing apparatus and a printing system having the printing apparatus and an information processing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the quality of images provided by a printing apparatus such as a color jet printer has been improved to a level comparable to that of silver salt photography. It has thus been domestically desired to use an ink jet printing apparatus to print photograph-like high-grade images on print media of a postcard size or an L size. Such a desire tends to grow owing to the diffusion of what is called digital cameras that store still images in a storage medium.
Now, description will be given of a general operation and processing procedure used if a digital camera and an ink jet printing apparatus are connected together so as to print image data recorded in the digital camera. First, a user connects the digital camera and the ink jet printing apparatus together using a USB cable or the like to start communications. Then, the user selects one of the images displayed on a display section of the digital camera. The user also sets information on printing, for example, the type and number of print media and a layout. Finally, the user depresses a print button to transmit the selected information to the ink jet printing apparatus. The printing apparatus then starts printing on the basis of the information.
Of the series of operations, the user performs the operation of selecting information on printing including the selection of print media by selecting items from a selection table displayed on the display section of the digital camera. Plural types of selection tables are stored in the digital camera. When the digital camera and the ink jet printing apparatus are connected together, the selection table corresponding to the type of the connected ink jet printing apparatus is selected and displayed. Specifically, when the digital camera is connected to the ink jet printing apparatus, the ink jet printing apparatus transmits information such as a number and symbol (ID) representing the type of the apparatus. The digital camera selects and displays one of the stored selection tables which corresponds to the received ID information.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-143539 discloses a structure in which a digital camera operating as an image pickup device and a printer operating as an output device can be connected together via an interface. In this structure, data on images photographed using the digital camera is outputted to the printer and printed. The digital camera can count the number of printed sheets.
As described above, with the current printing apparatus, the user can perform operations such as the selection of print media to be printed, while viewing the contents displayed on the display section. However, with the current printing apparatus, the type of print medium specified by the user may not match the print medium supplied in the ink jet printing apparatus. Thus, operations on the printing apparatus may be complicated.
Specifically, when the ink jet printing apparatus comprises a plurality of print media stacking sections in which different types of print media can be stacked, the print media stacking sections may be removable from the printing apparatus main body. When connected to a digital camera, such an ink jet printing apparatus also transmits the ID inherent in it to the digital camera. Upon receiving the ID, the digital camera displays print media uniquely corresponding to the ID. Thus, print media in the print media stacking section which are not actually installed in the ink jet printing apparatus are displayed on the display section of the digital camera as applicable print media. Thus, the user may specify the print media not installed in the apparatus in accordance with the display. If such an operation error occurs, the ink jet printing apparatus transmits a message to the digital camera indicating that the print media are unavailable. The user must re-specify print media. Accordingly, the user may be forced to repeat such a setting operation until the media installed in the ink jet printing apparatus match the print media specified by the user. This disadvantageously makes the user's setting operations complicated and degrades the reliability of the apparatus.
Further, there maybe a plurality of print media stacking sections in which different types of print media are stacked so as to switch the print media stacking sections from one to another. For example, if the ink jet printing apparatus comprises a print media stacking section in which ordinary paper is stacked and a print media stacking section in which print media allowing the formation of photograph-like images are stacked, printing may be executed while frequently switching the print media stacking sections from one to the other. However, even if the available print media are switched in the ink jet printing apparatus, this is not reflected in the digital camera. Thus, the user must specify print media from applied print media displayed uniquely on the basis of the ID as previously described. Accordingly, the user must perform a printing operation while memorizing the type of print media selected in the ink jet printing apparatus. This cumbersome printing operation may cause the user to make mistakes in operations. In particular, if different users perform printing operations, the users may not be able to achieve appropriate printing operations unless they confirm the switching state in the ink jet printing apparatus. This degrades the operability of the ink jet printing apparatus.
The present invention is provided to solve these problems. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus comprising a print media supplying section that selectively supplies plural types of print media and having a high operability, wherein a user can reliably specify applicable print media on an information processing apparatus by transmitting information on print media that can be actually supplied in the printing apparatus, to the information processing apparatus and wherein even if the applied print media are switched in the printing apparatus, the user can reliably recognize this on the information processing apparatus.